Courses

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10am - noon

Thursday January 2,
Thursday January 9,
Thursday January 16,
Thursday January 23

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for The Great Land: Indigenous Peoples and Cultures of Alaska

Have you wondered how people survive in frigid regions of the far north? What sort of cultures developed? This course explores the Great Land by delving into who the people are—and how they lived and developed over time in Alaska.

Aleuts call their homeland alaesksu, meaning the Great Land. Today we call the whole of this northern region Alaska. The islands, coastline, and interior constitute a land of extreme temperatures and limited resources. Yet people began to settle throughout the Great Land about 20,000 years ago, developing and maintaining cultures with rich traditions in this sparse environment.  

This course covers the coastal cultures of Inupiat, Aleut, and Yup’ik, along with the interior Athabaskan people and Northwest Coast tribes of Southeast Alaska. Each culture occupies a region with a recognized homeland that continued to provide access to seasonal foods and resources from the sea, rivers, and land. To better understand how they live, we consider their tools, foods, social structure, beliefs, arts, and how the arrival of non-indigenous people impacted life for Native Alaskans.

Drawing on photographs from museum collections, both tribal museums and non-indigenous, we build an understanding of each cultural region, exploring traditions throughout Alaska.

Instructor

Kathy Kuba

Kathy Kuba has been an educator her entire career and an anthropologist for the last 25 years. She holds a BA in education from the University of Missouri and an MA in anthropology/museology from the University of Washington. For several decades, she worked in natural history museums creating programs and exhibits on cultural and scientific topics. Until 2020, she taught Introduction to Cultural Anthropology at WWU.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday January 7,
Tuesday January 14,
Tuesday January 21

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for How Greenhouse Gases Cause Global Warming: The Science

Let's sort through widespread misinformation about the cause of global warming. Natural causes are not the problem. This course provides the scientific foundation of greenhouse gas theory in understandable terms. The description that CO2 traps heat often is used, and it is not incorrect, but just how does CO2 do that?

A full explanation of the concepts of warming is much more interesting and convincing than traps heat. No math or equations are needed.

The course covers:

• conservation of energy and the overall global energy balance;
• the essential role of the cold atmosphere at high altitude;
• principles of infrared energy loss to space; and
• demonstration of a free, easy-to-use, online computer model for radiant energy transfer in the atmosphere.
• An understanding of the science enables one to know, rather than merely believe, that increasing greenhouse gases are the cause of global warming.

Instructor

Charles Brown

Charles Brown, PE, is a retired chemical engineer. His teaching experience includes presenting seminars, lectures, and courses primarily about air pollution. His career included air pollution control and regulations (Radian, VECO), petroleum refining (BP, VECO), aluminum production (Kaiser), and nuclear power support systems (General Atomic). Degrees include BS, chemical engineering, Washington State University, 1973; MS, engineering with emphasis in environmental, University of Washington, 1982).

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday January 8,
Wednesday January 15

,

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Benjamin Franklin—From the Inside Out

How did this child (one of 17 siblings!) of a poor but honest Boston candlemaker rise to the heights of popularity and importance in 18th century colonial America? How did a boy with 18 months of formal education achieve international influence, earn recognition and the precursor of a Nobel Prize in science, gain dozens of honorary degrees from the premier educational institutions on this continent and Great Britain... and get memorialized on our $100 bill?

What made Ben Franklin able to pole vault out of his simple promise as a hard-working printer to become an illuminatus who stood before five kings and was welcomed in the most influential circles on both sides of the Atlantic?

We look at the motivations, decisions, opportunities, and reactions of this man and his times. From the inside out, we witness how hard work, a broad liberal arts self-education, and some humility changed the world... and can still bring about great and good change in today's mighty challenges. Much more than the names and dates of battles, we examine the humanity of this decidedly Humanist printer.

Instructor

GregRobin Smith

GregRobin Smith has presented his solo Chautauqua performance on, and as, Benjamin Franklin for over 20 years. Seen at presidential inaugurations, libraries, and museums, at fundraisers for churches, schools, and community groups, GregRobin is also a Shakespeare scholar and a union performer with the American Guild of Variety Artists. He has been contract teaching since 1973 on subjects as diverse as theatre arts, Shakespeare, poetry, medieval hands-on classes, Franklin, and hard-suit medieval melee martial arts.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Wednesday January 15,
Wednesday January 22,
Wednesday January 29

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

What are the changing statuses and roles of women in the Middle East? We study factors from the 19th century to the present in three quite different countries.  

How has the state and socioeconomic development shaped the position of women in the family and participation in the greater society at large? What are the challenges facing women in these countries today? 

Instructor

Siyamak Zabihi-Moghaddam

Siyamak Zabihi-Moghaddam holds a PhD in Middle Eastern history from the University of Haifa. He has taught for Western Washington University’s department of Global Humanities and Religions since 2014. He has published in a wide range of scholarly journals.  

In addition to Iran, where Zabihi-Moghaddam was born, he has lived in Israel and Denmark. While studying at the University of Copenhagen, he worked as an interpreter for Iranian, Kurdish, and Afghan torture victims who were receiving treatment and rehabilitation. He has also traveled to Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 2 - 4 p.m.

Monday January 20

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Gender Identity

In this course we explore areas of gender identity: what it means to be non-binary and how a person who identifies as non-binary wants to be called. Given the societal shifts in gender identity, we also examine how children nearing or in puberty are grappling with this issue today and what the school climate is like for those students.

Sage tells their own story about realizing, during a pandemic, that they are non-binary, and describes the process of coming out. Small-group conversations are utilized to explore the language of pronouns and strategies to move through the world with non-binary people. Questions and comments are encouraged.

Instructor

Sage Wilkirk

Sage Wilkirk (they/them) is a nonbinary transmasculine human. As a high-school math teacher and small-business owner, everything they do is with a lens of education, and everything they know is able to be taught to others. Sage is also Equity Lead Facilitator for the Mount Vernon School District, facilitating equity-based education for educators, advocating for diverse students, creating and protecting a safe space for queer educators, and managing the resistance and pushback of their advocacy. At their core, Sage is kind, patient, smart, tech-savvy, and creative.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday January 22,
Wednesday January 29,
Wednesday February 5,
Wednesday February 12

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

This course will survey the causes and effects of U.S. imperialism on that nation and the world. We will trace the beginning of the Cold War and how that competition with the USSR and China led to bloody wars in Korea and Vietnam. The class will also examine other interventions by the U.S. military and/or the CIA in the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Iran, Cuba, and Guatemala between 1954 and 1965.  

We will further investigate the "military-industrial complex" and how that consortium has affected U.S policy and politics. The class will continue with an investigation of how and why the United States obtained 780 bases and installations around the world.  

Lastly, the class will ponder the reaction of the U.S. after the attacks of 9/11 and the effects of the so-called Global War on Terror.

Instructor

Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson holds a B.A. in history from Western Washington University and an M.A. degree from California State University-Dominguez Hills. He has taught eight classes for ALL over the past decade.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday February 4

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Officer Ben Horton gives us a class on the Bellingham Police Department’s use of UAS, colloquially known as ‘drones.’ This course includes an overview of:

• Bellingham Police Department's UAS unit
• The training and testing each of the pilots completes
• The gear and equipment
• The future of law enforcement and UAS
• Case and call review

Police UAS gear is available for students to view. Raven, Officer Horton’s canine partner, also attends as she travels everywhere Officer Horton does. Although Raven doesn’t perform drone work, she is available for introductions and to say hello.

Instructor

Ben Horton

Officer Ben Horton is the Commander of the UAS (Unmanned Aerial System, commonly called ‘drones.’) He is also the commander for the Bellingham HDU (Hazardous Device Unit), which is the only explosives canine team north of Marysville. Officer Horton is an Explosives Detection Canine Handler (EDC) and his canine partner is Raven, a five-year-old black lab. Officer Horton has been a police officer for 15 years. He and Raven have been partners for five years.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Zoom, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Thursday February 13

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Museum of Anthropology at UBC

Whether you’re going on the late-February ALL Museum of Anthropology excursion to Vancouver or visiting there independently, this course will prepare you to appreciate the exhibits at the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) on the campus of the University of British Columbia (BC). With new monumental art on display, you’ll find this world-class museum exhibiting many poles with carved crests of clans, giant feast bowls, and masks made by First Nations artists of the past alongside contemporary art by BC indigenous artists reflecting past traditions while creating in new ways.

During this two-hour course, we will see a preview of new and old objects on display in the main hall, find out about the temporary exhibit that will be open at that time, and get a glimpse of the remarkable open storage at MOA. 

Having the collections available to view is a rare opportunity for museum visitors, giving everyone a chance to delve more deeply into objects and cultures. For MOA the primary reason to make collections available is to honor and collaborate with First Nations People in BC and across the world. 

Instructor

Kathy Kuba

Kathy Kuba has been an educator all her life and an anthropologist for the last 25 years with a B.A. in Education from the University of Missouri and M.A. in Anthropology/Museology from the University of Washington. For several decades, she worked in natural history museums creating programs and exhibits on cultural and scientific topics. Until 2020 she taught Introduction to Cultural Anthropology at WWU.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday February 13

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for An Introduction to Music Therapy: The Power to Promote Wellbeing

Even in everyday life, many of us have personally experienced the power of music to transform a moment. In this course, we delve into how music therapists use music in an evidence-based way to improve patient wellbeing in a variety of settings.

Samantha Sinai, a board-certified music therapist and cellist in Bellingham, shares information and stories from her work to familiarize participants with her profession, drawing from her experiences working with children in a pediatric hospital, adults in a general hospital, children with special needs, and veterans who were previously homeless.

The American Music Therapy Association states that "Music therapy interventions can address a variety of healthcare and educational goals, and many can benefit from music therapy services. The base of evidence in music therapy research is extensive and strong.” Please join us to learn how music is used as a therapeutic tool in a variety of circumstances.

Instructor

Samantha Sinai

Samantha Sinai, cellist, cello teacher, and music therapist, is Principal Cellist with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. She manages a private cello studio, coordinates Bellingham Youth Chamber Players, and serves as an Artistic Partner for Bellingham House Concerts. Through her previous music-therapy work in a variety of settings, she has witnessed over and over the transformative power of music. As a musician, she strives to promote wellness in her community by bringing heartfelt, embodied music to people in meaningful, accessible ways.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Congregation Beth Israel 751 San juan Blvd, Bellingham, Wa, 1 - 3 p.m.

Wednesday February 19,
Wednesday February 26

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for Ethical Wills: Passing on Your Values

What is the legacy we want to leave behind? What are the values we want to pass on? What advice do we have for our loved ones who survive us? Join Rabbi Joshua Samuels for a two-session course on ethical wills.

These are documents which express one's wishes and advice for those left behind. It imparts life lessons and other bits of wisdom one has acquired as opposed to material possessions. Ethical wills ought to be treasured and read over again by those who are lucky to receive one.

Writing an ethical will is a custom that goes back to the very beginning of the Jewish people's story. However, one need not be Jewish to see the value in crafting one of their own. Rabbi Samuels explains the history of ethical wills, shares various real-life ethical wills, and by the end of the course, students will be well on their way to writing their own, which will have a lasting and profoundly sentimental effect.

Instructor

Joshua Samuels

Rabbi Joshua Samuels has been serving Congregation Beth Israel in Bellingham as its spiritual leader for 12 years. He is a native of San Francisco and alum of University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday February 25,
Thursday February 27

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

King Arthur, that greatest of British heroes, has fired the imagination, the stories sweeping across Europe during the Middle Ages. We trace the fortunes of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Gawain, Tristan, and the other Knights of the Round Table through the great works of medieval romance, from Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes through Malory to Tennyson and White. The conflicts between courtly love with its chivalric ideals and various external forces (religion, faerie, creatures of the forest, evil knights, maidens) led to the dissolution of Camelot, but left us with one brief, shining moment.  

In the second session, we explore some of the themes that are central to romance: idealism, temptation, political norms, the Quest, the hero’s journey, spiritual aspiration, and sin. The stories provide a tapestry for the evolving ways cultures confront their hopes and anxieties. We examine via PowerPoint lectures specific tropes and themes with examples from the greatest masterpieces of the Arthurian legends: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Participants are welcome but not expected to skim these short and delightful tales prior to class.

Instructor

Adam Moles

Dr. Adam Moles studied under the tutelage of the famed Arthurian scholar Douglas Gray, the Tolkien Chair for Languages and Literature at the University of Oxford. Adam taught English literature at the University of Alaska. He also worked as a marine biologist with NOAA in Alaska for 40 years and currently teaches medical microbiology at Western Washington University.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday February 28

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Watch the Preview Video for The Glamour of Old Hollywood: Architecture of the Stars

Hollywood boasts a plethora of beautiful homes and glamorous retreats where legends of the silver screen lived, worked, and played. As the Hollywood movie industry took hold of the Los Angeles area, the stars and their directors cultivated a glamorous lifestyle through their homes, fashions, and cars.

This course explores some of the most famous environs of the stars, from their luxurious private homes to their notorious hideaways, and the glittering social environment in which they lived. The lecture includes discussion of the popular architectural styles and interiors of the 20s and 30s, including Romantic Revival and Art Deco.

We welcome Eleanor via Zoom from southern California.

Instructor

Eleanor Schrader

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures and leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She has been named a distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture and decorative arts. She is also a professor emeritus of art and architectural history at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the board of directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday March 4,
Tuesday March 11,
Tuesday March 18,
Tuesday March 25

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Both in Verdi’s Aida and in the Chinese opera The Flower Princess, two lovers willingly die together at story’s end. There the similarity ends, for the Chinese regard the Confucian values of loyalty to one’s ruler and devotion to one’s parents as supreme, taking precedence over private romantic love. The politically-minded princess schemes with her clever and devoted lover, exploiting her status to achieve the ultimate patriotic goal of publicly humiliating the foreign king who has usurped her land, while at the same time honoring her own former ruler and father.

The story is a dramatization of a real event from the 17th century involving the Ming dynasty’s last princess, who in defying the Manchu ruler of the new Qing dynasty sacrificed her love for lofty Confucian ideals.    

This course also covers some of China’s history, Confucianism, and the opera tradition. We read selected passages of the script of The Flower Princess and watch excerpts from a stage performance along with instructor's commentary. We also discuss the political content of the story and its relevance to our understanding of today’s China.

Instructor

Bell Yung

Bell Yung holds a PhD in physics from MIT and a PhD in music from Harvard. He has published 12 books and more than 100 scholarly articles and reviews, in English and Chinese. Retired to Bellingham 12 years ago, he is a professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday March 4,
Tuesday March 11

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance. Too much is said, pro and con, about marijuana that is misleading and deceptive. That’s why we offer this course: to help us understand the risks and benefits, restrictions, and seductions the public faces concerning cannabis.

According to state, not federal, laws, medical marijuana is legal in 37 states, and eighteen states have legalized recreational use. In Washington, both uses are legal. However, the U.S. government still considers marijuana a substance with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Most doctors and other caregiving professionals receive little training in cannabis science.

We review the long history of cannabis use and the history of restrictions on research and use of cannabis in the U.S. We discuss the body’s own internal cannabinoid system, the different routes by which cannabis can be used, and the actions of various chemicals in marijuana, including CBD. Our discussion includes the effects of cannabis in psychiatric conditions, on sleep, its role in violence, and its effects in non-psychiatric medical conditions. We detail hazards of cannabis, synthetic cannabis, and CBD, especially in adolescents and the elderly.

Finally, we address legal restrictions on users in Washington. We talk about safety factors to consider before or while using marijuana. Treatment of marijuana addiction is not addressed.

Instructor

Henry S. Levine

Henry S. Levine, MD has a BA (magna cum laude) and MD from Case Western Reserve University, completing his internship at the University of Virginia. He began practicing in Whatcom County in 1973 and was a general practitioner on the Lummi Indian Reservation before receiving his psychiatric training at the University of North Carolina. Subsequently, he has practiced general and forensic psychiatry.

Dr. Levine is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has earned Special Qualification in Forensic Psychiatry. He has chaired the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law’s Psychopharmacology and Private Practice Committees and the St. Joseph Hospital Department of Psychiatry. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UW.

He co-directs the WWU Dept. of Psychology’s Behavioral Neuroscience internship. He has participated in several large national research studies. Dr. Levine is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and was the 2016-2017 Physician of Excellence at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Affinity Theatre Room, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday March 5,
Thursday March 6

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Have you heard them hooting already? Who are these amazing diurnal and nocturnal owls? Join us for two mornings of classroom discovery as we explore this amazingly well-adapted bird of prey with 16 species in our diverse Northwest habitats. We learn about their field ID, food, calls, behaviors, bio-ecology, and distribution. Bring your questions, curiosity, an open mind, and you might even learn to give a hoot. Come join the fun!

Field Trip: As night begins its descent, nocturnal owls are listening and looking for their furry prey, as well as each other. Join us to search for them by quiet presence, active looking, and perhaps imitating the calls of local species. No promises, but we visit known sites of activity and share a hoot. Location to be announced at first session. For the field trip, bring a flashlight or headlamp, comfortable hiking shoes, an umbrella, water, snacks, a notebook/pencil, binoculars, and a camera if you’d like pictures.

Please note that this registration is for the classes on March 5 and 6, plus the March 6 field trip.

Instructor

David Drummond

David Drummond, wildlife biologist-naturalist-educator, has worked as an owl researcher on several Washington State field projects over 15 years and taught many field and lab classes on this successful bird family. He finds this raptor very intriguing and inspiring in its quest to survive!

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Affinity Theatre Room, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday March 5,
Thursday March 6

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Have you heard them hooting already? Who are these amazing diurnal and nocturnal owls? Join us for two mornings of classroom discovery as we explore this amazingly well-adapted bird of prey with 16 species in our diverse Northwest habitats. We learn about their field ID, food, calls, behaviors, bio-ecology, and distribution. Bring your questions, curiosity, an open mind, and you might even learn to give a hoot. Come join the fun!

Please note that this registration is just for the classes on March 5 and 6. It does not include the March 5 field trip.

Instructor

David Drummond

David Drummond, wildlife biologist-naturalist-educator, has worked as an owl researcher on several Washington State field projects over 15 years and taught many field and lab classes on this successful bird family. He finds this raptor very intriguing and inspiring in its quest to survive!

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday March 5,
Wednesday March 12,
Wednesday March 19,
Wednesday March 26,
Wednesday April 2,
Wednesday April 9

$120 for members, $160 for non-members

Description

The Athenian playwright Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) specialized in producing trilogies, developing a single story and a single complex of ideas in three successive plays composed for performance on a single occasion. Two of the five plays that we are reading in this course were the opening plays in their respective trilogies: Prometheus Bound, which dramatizes a contest of wills between the Titan Prometheus, champion of humanity, and a tyrannical Zeus; and The Suppliants, which presents the story of the fifty daughters of Danaus and their quest to escape forced marriage with their fifty cousins.

The last four weeks of the course are devoted to The Oresteia, the crowning achievement of Aeschylus's career, in which he puts his supreme dramaturgical powers to the service of a timelessly relevant theme, humanity's perennial struggle to free itself from the perpetuation of violence by counter-violence. As a way of helping to guide and focus both reading and discussion, handouts on things to think about are provided for each session.

The translations we read are those by Philip Vellacott in the Penguin Classics series: Prometheus Bound and Other Plays (ISBN 0140441123) and The Oresteian Trilogy (ISBN 0140440674). Please consider reading Prometheus Bound before the first class. 

Instructor

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller was a professor of classics at the University of Pittsburgh for 35 years. He is the author of From Delos to Delphi: A Literary Study of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo; Greek Lyric: An Anthology in Translation; and Pindar: The Odes. He taught extensively in lifelong learning programs at both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University; this is his 16th course for ALL.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday March 7,
Friday March 14

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Architectural history follows a canon of both traditional and eclectic styles from ancient to contemporary times, but what happens when a mix of whimsy, eccentricity, and humor—and sometimes the creator’s genius—insert themselves into the mix?

Occurring throughout time and in various parts of the world, these structures exist to serve the cultures they were created for, from ancient religious sites to modern car-culture merriment. This course explores a myriad variety of structures set against the backdrop of the societies in which they existed, the construction methods used, the patrons for whom these structures were constructed, and the notions of the builders and architects who created them.

We warmly welcome back Eleanor as she joins us from southern California via Zoom.

Instructor

Eleanor Schrader

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures and
leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She has been named a
distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture,
interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also a professor emeritus of art and
architectural history at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and
decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 1 - 3 p.m.

Wednesday March 12,
Wednesday March 19,
Wednesday March 26

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Take your cell phone photography from snapshots to breathtaking and interesting images that you are proud to share with your friends, family, and social networks. This comprehensive three-session course covers basic features of capturing and editing photos on your smartphone cameras to enable you to take advantage of the many hidden features already included with your smartphone.  

We also focus on practical principles of great photography and the artistic principles of taking a quality photograph no matter what equipment you use. You learn multiple ways to capture, edit, organize, and share your smartphone images through lecture, hands-on exercises, and a demonstration of the steps for improving an image of your own.  

Students are introduced to inexpensive add-ons, including phone-specific accessories and both free and low-cost apps for helping those who wish to go beyond basic photos. Whether you are a beginner or are hoping to improve your future travel and family photos, this course changes the way you use your smartphone.  

Note: No experience is needed, but students must have a smartphone (either Android or iPhone).

Instructor

Carol Sheppard

Carol Sheppard is an award-winning and published local photographer with several images that have won first place and people’s choice awards. Proficient with DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and smartphones, Carol’s work has been exhibited in multiple Pacific Northwest venues. She has been a guest speaker for camera clubs across the U.S., at Whatcom Community College, and at annual conferences for both the Northwest Council of Camera Clubs and the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Carol served four years as president of the Bellingham Photography Club and as managing editor of the monthly PSA Journal. She has been published in the Northwest Nature Photographers’ magazine, the PSA Journal, and PSA’s Travel Division Newsletter.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday March 20,
Thursday March 27

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

What is the Bellingham Festival of Music treating us to this year? After a sold-out inaugural season with new artistic director, Marcelo Lehninger, the Festival Orchestra takes you on a thrilling trip around the world. Join Erika Block (Executive Director) and Victor Costanzi (Board President) as they talk about this year’s festival programming.  

Each of the six concerts focus on the music of a specific country (Russia, England, USA, Scotland, Germany, France/USA). After an introduction to the history and organization of the Bellingham Festival of Music, we discuss why the composers wrote music about their countries, what they were thinking at the time, and why these countries were chosen. We take a deep dive into how these pieces relate to each other and why they are a good fit for the Festival’s 2025 season. We explore historical context, tradition, and behind-the-scenes intrigue as we share the keys to unlocking the treasure inside this incredible musical journey.  

The Bellingham Festival of Music is one of America’s premier virtuoso orchestra festivals. Each summer the Festival returns to Bellingham, to perform a repertoire of the finest symphonic music. Members of the orchestra all hold artistically prestigious positions elsewhere, and many of them are principal players in major North American symphony orchestras. The Festival also features world-famous guest artists and young rising stars.

Instructor

Erika Block

Erika Block was appointed Executive Director of the Bellingham Festival of Music beginning in January 2023. Prior to this appointment she was a board member of the BFM beginning in 2017; she has been a member of the orchestra since 2013.

As an active member of the Bellingham music community, Erika serves as vice president of, and performs with, the Bellingham Chamber Music Society. She is principal clarinetist with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. As a featured soloist, Erika has performed concertos with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Skagit Symphony, WWU Wind Symphony, and Whatcom Wind Ensemble. Erika served as senior instructor of clarinet and chamber music at Western Washington University from 2016-2023.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Thursday March 20

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

In Dr. George Nelson's own words:

"By far the most common question asked by anyone when they meet an astronaut is: 
'So, what’s it like in space?' Even though there have now been hundreds of people in space, including rich tourists, it is still a unique experience for most. I explore, from my own perspective and with my personal photos and videos, astronaut selection, training, and the experience of spaceflight. What’s it like to launch, float, eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, spacewalk, fly untethered, and work while in orbit?

I also discuss and look forward to discussing two worthy questions: Why send people into space when machines and computers are becoming so incredibly capable? And why spend all that money on space exploration when there are so many urgent needs here on earth?"

Instructor

George "Pinky" Nelson

Dr. George "Pinky" Nelson earned a PhD in astronomy from the University of Washington. As a NASA Astronaut from 1978-1989, he flew three Space Shuttle missions that included an untethered spacewalk, the first on-orbit satellite repair, and the first mission following the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger. He was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2009.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday March 21,
Friday March 28,
Friday April 4,
Friday April 11,
Friday April 18,
Friday April 25

$120 for members, $160 for non-members

Description

We all age. But we don't all age in the same way. Most prefer to experience aging in a way where chronological age doesn't overshadow independence, identity, aspiration, or opportunity.

This course explores how society constructs aging, and how to rediscover and/or maintain your sense of self as you age.

Session One: Myths and Misconceptions

• The many ways we age (diversity in late adulthood)
• Rethinking statistics about aging
• Historical and cross-cultural comparisons
• A closer look at myths
• Is 60 the new 30?

Session Two: Theories of Aging and Stereotypes

• Disengagement
• Activity
• Continuity
• Productivity
• Aging and invisibility
• How stereotypes affect our sense of self

Session Three: The Social Construction of Age

• How society creates aging realities
• Unhappy birthday: an analysis of greeting cards
• Other artifacts of aging
• Old roles: consumer, patient, retiree, etc.
• Age discrimination

Session Four: Relationships in Late Adulthood

• Older marriages, cohabiting, and living apart
• Adult children
• Grandparenting
• Friendships
• Dating and hooking up

Session Five: Empowered Aging

• What is empowerment?
• Empowered communication/agency
• Wellness versus health
• Examples of empowered older adults

Session Six: Your Turn

• The Magic Wand
• Removing barriers
• Empowerment in health, mental health, relationships
• Follow ups

Each session includes overview lectures with supporting audio/visuals and group discussion.

We welcome Laura via Zoom from Denton, Texas.

Instructor

Laura Overstreet

Laura Overstreet, PhD, is a sociologist who has been teaching courses in the areas of marriage and family at WWU since 2004. She is also a faculty member at the University of Maryland, where she teaches courses in gerontology and end of life issues. She is the author of Gaining Perspective, a lifespan psychology text. She has worked as a psychotherapist in in-patient and out-patient settings. Laura enjoys performing and recording as a singer/songwriter.

Registration

This class is offered online

Bellingham Cruise Terminal (small lecture room), 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday April 1

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

This course aims to demystify East Asian Medicine for a western audience. Taught with a student-centered approach, the course covers acupuncture and herbal medicine with a focus on both as functional medicine.

We begin with guided discussion of key concepts from East Asian medical theory, dispelling common myths as we go. We look at the relationship between acupuncture and herbal medicine, how the two therapies overlap, and where they differ. There is also a free pulse reading. We close with a question-and-answer session to clarify key concepts and connect the medicine to the students’ own lives. 

Instructor

Ryan Barber

Ryan Barber was born in Lingít Aaní (Southeast Alaska) to a family of British and Lhaq’temish ancestry. He holds a masters of acupuncture and Chinese medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, an MA in communication and leadership from Idaho State University, and a CELTA from Cambridge University. Prior to beginning Chinese medicine, Ryan taught at Northwest Indian College and Idaho State University as well as worked in tribal government.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday April 1,
Tuesday April 8,
Tuesday April 15

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

While Europe was going through the Dark Middle Ages, science and learning were thriving in the Near and Middle East. We briefly survey Islamic contributions to modern Western civilization.

We explore how the Arabs revived and built upon academic areas such as:

• algebra,
• mathematics,
• chemistry,
• astronomy,
• medicine, and
• health sciences.

Participants explore the intellectual accomplishments of the Arabs and their colleagues between the 8th and 11th centuries, the role knowledge and education played in Islam, and the inter-connectedness between the West and the East.

Instructor

Lina Zeine

Lina Zeine was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. She obtained her PhD from the University of Kansas. Lina retired as professor emerita from WWU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Topics in religious history are her passion. Lina has presented this course, and several other history courses, at Baha'i Summer School.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Thursday April 3

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

The local chapter of the League of Women Voters aims to empower voters and defend democracy. This presentation explores how this small but powerful volunteer organization works in Whatcom County, our state, and nationally to encourage citizens to be curious about government issues and involved in improving their community.

Three women active in the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County share why this work is important to them. The presentation includes a brief history of the League of Women Voters and an overview of voting issues and the election process. The presentation also highlights how the League advocates for public support of some key issues, including protecting our environment, expanding healthcare access, and affordable housing.

Instructor

Annette Holcomb, Dorie Belisle, and Cam Kerst

Annette Holcomb has been active in the Bellingham/Whatcom County League of Women Voters since moving here in 2009. Currently leading a League book group discussion, she has served as a member of the local LWV board, as both secretary and co-president. Annette was also active in the Seattle-King County chapter and the Washington State Education Fund. She is passionate about expanding and defending voting rights and providing factual information to empower voters.  

Dorie Belisle envisions a community where people feel heard and respected, a community where people understand the workings of our government and know where to go for information and, most of all, a community that cares. Dorie has been in the League since 2020. She is a member of the climate committee, chair of the advisory team, and a current member of the board of directors.

Cam Kerst moved to Bellingham in 2017. She has been active in LWV since 2018 registering voters. The past five years she has helped arrange voting services events in Whatcom County with a team of dedicated volunteers. Everything from events at high schools, WWU, WCC, BTC, libraries, food banks, senior centers/senior care facilities, unhoused and underserved, plus community events. Cam has worked to promote “Get Out the Vote (GOTV)” to all eligible voters in Whatcom County.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday April 8

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Many people are familiar with the little children’s books that Beatrix Potter wrote. But not so many are familiar with her life story and her skills at natural history.

Beatrix was an able naturalist in many biological realms, but she became particularly interested in the fungi, especially mushrooms. Some people think if the times had been different (in the early 1900’s women were not appreciated for their scientific endeavors) or that Ms. Potter had not gone on to be famous for--and make money from--her children’s books, she might have become a successful mycologist.

Beatrix Potter was also a skilled artist, particularly good at producing realistic paintings of mushrooms in their habitats. This talk briefly reviews Beatrix Potter’s background growing up and later becoming a champion for the English Lakes District and their sheep. The focus of the course is to review her many beautiful paintings of mushrooms and show how they indicate a keen sense of their habits and habitats and an understanding of the features used in their identification.

This talk is based partly on a presentation delivered in 2023 to an international joint meeting of the Beatrix Potter Society and the Linnean Society in London.

Instructor

Fred M. Rhoades

Fred M. Rhoades is a mycologist/lichenologist, retired instructor, and current research
associate in the Biology Department at Western Washington University. He lives in
Bellingham, where he continues to pursue his interests in cryptogamic botany (lower spore-producing, plant-like organismic) and natural-history photography.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Thursday April 10,
Thursday April 17

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

The love affair between humans and dogs is a fascinating and unique story of self-
domestication and co-evolution. This class explores how the dog and human partnership came to be through a process called Survival of the Friendliest, how dogs use body language to communicate and their senses to understand the world, and how we can improve our dogs’ lives through better understanding of their needs and all the things they are trying to tell us.

The instructor’s canine assistant, Willow, will be on hand for demos, questions, tricks, and general mood enhancement.

In this course we cover:

• The science of dog evolution, domestication, and breeding
• How dogs’ senses are different from ours and just how amazing their noses really are
• How and why dogs bond with us
• How to speak dog
• Fundamentals of positive reinforcement training
• What dogs need to be happy and fulfilled

Instructor

Laurel Saville and Willow

Laurel Saville is an author, communications consultant, and dog behaviorist. She has an
MFA in creative writing and literature, a certificate in applied animal behavior, and is a
Certified Professional Dog Trainer, through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. The author of many books, short stories, essays, and articles, she offers behavioral consultations and is working on a new book, How to Live with a Dog, a collection of essays about her experiences helping humans with dog problems and dogs with human problems, due in late 2025.

Willow is a mixed-breed dog of about 55 pounds, with a silky black coat. She and Laurel met eight years ago when Laurel was volunteering at the Seattle Animal Shelter and Willow was a five-month-old pup seeking refuge from a previous guardian going through a tough time. Since then, Willow has taken several backpacking trips, assisted Laurel with teaching numerous puppies and reactive dogs basic social skills, showed dozens of kids and adults how to read dog body language and speak dog, run agility courses, and found culinary truffles underground. She also helps Laurel manage a sleep disorder related to her Parkinson’s disease and accompanies her on hikes around Bellingham.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Wednesday April 16,
Wednesday April 23

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Why does the United States struggle to grasp the Russian "psyche?" Foreign service officer Eileen Malloy offers her professional perspective on the deeply ingrained characteristics of Russians that date back to the mid-800s, the consolidation of Kievan Rus' in the late 800s, and the breakup of Kievan Rus' following the Tartar invasion led by Chinggis Khan in the early 1200s. Peter the Great’s outreach to Europe, and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, served to reinforce these traits, which can be seen in modern Russia today.

The intent is to expand students’ understanding of the Russian/Soviet/New Russia psyche with illustrations drawn from the instructor’s interactions with them from 1971 until the present. Another goal of this course is to sensitize the students to the intercultural conflicts and lack of trust that make it difficult for diplomats to achieve peace and mutual respect with the modern Russian state.

Instructor

Eileen A. Malloy

Eileen A. Malloy was a career Foreign Service officer from 1978-2008, serving as U.S. Ambassador in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 1994 to 1997 and as a reemployed retiree for the State Department 2008-2015. Ms. Malloy holds a BS of foreign service in Russian and East European affairs from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She first studied in the USSR in 1971, returning as an exchange student at the University of Leningrad in 1973, and served two tours of duty at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

Her Washington assignments have included Deputy Assistant Secretary for East and Central Europe, Director of the Secretariat Staff, Special Assistant for Europe and Arms Control for the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Senior Inspector/Team Leader for the Inspector General, and Senior Advisor on Russia for Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. Her most recent overseas postings include U.S. Consul General in Sydney, Australia; U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic; U.S. Chargé D'Affaires in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; and two tours at Embassy Moscow. She has visited, lived, and worked temporarily in almost 80 countries or territories around the world.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Wednesday April 16,
Wednesday April 23

$48 for members, $64 for non-members

Description

Pacific islands often evoke thoughts of tropical vacations: Tahiti, Fiji, and Hawaii. Life on these islands is included in the course, but we also learn of islands less known in North America: Melville and Bathurst Islands, Vanuatu, and Trobriand Islands.

Research has documented that the migration of humans out of Southeast Asia across the vast distances of the Pacific began about 1500 BCE. The peopling of the islands is believed to have taken place over five centuries and relied on well-developed skills of sailing and navigation.

As humans arrived on islands throughout the Pacific, cultural traditions were carried with the migrants. Each new location shaped the culture with new resources, changes in foods, and adjustments to traditions to fit new circumstances. It is exciting to see threads of similar functions in the Polynesian cultures, such as matrilineal societies, reliance on extensive gardens, hunting or keeping pigs, and artwork that shares iconic motifs.

The course touches on how climate change has already been impacting these people, for islands are on the frontline of our changing climate.

Instructor

Kathy Kuba

Kathy Kuba has been an educator her entire career and an anthropologist for the last 25 years. She holds a BA in education from the University of Missouri and an MA in anthropology/museology from the University of Washington. For several decades, she worked in natural history museums creating programs and exhibits on cultural and scientific topics. Until 2020 she taught Introduction to Cultural Anthropology at WWU.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday April 17

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

This class reveals how glaciers are linked to climate, details the glacial record of climate change in Skagit Valley, and assesses what modern climate change means to glaciers and regional water supplies.

We discuss the last ice age up to present glacier monitoring in Washington state. The course includes a photographic comparison of glacier change from the early 20th century to today. We also cover recent analyses of changes in glacial contribution to summer streamflow during the past 50 years, and we conclude by reviewing a model-based projection of the future of glaciers in this region.

Instructor

Jon L. Riedel

Jon L. Riedel holds an MS in geography from the University of Wisconsin and a PhD in earth science from Simon Fraser University. His work has focused on the glacial and fluvial history of the Skagit Valley and the North Cascades. During his 40-year career with the National Park Service at North Cascades National Park, he led erosion programs in Lake Chelan and Skagit reservoirs as well as flood control efforts for the Stehekin River. He established glacier monitoring programs for North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic National Parks.

Jon continues his geologic career as a consultant, mapping surficial geology and investigating groundwater in the Skagit Valley. He is a research associate at WWU.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Thursday April 24

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

How do we heal through music? How do composers deal with pain and fear through composing music? We study how three composers--Kenji Bunch, Henriëtte Bosmans, and Gabriel Fauré--have dealt with traumatic events in their life through composing music: the loss of a loved one, the death of parents, the invasion of the Nazis, and the like. We study the music and how the events of the time can be identified in the music.  

This music is played by the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra at its April 27 concert, and participants are encouraged to attend the free dress rehearsal on April 26. For Faure's Requiem, in addition to the orchestra, there are two soloists and two choirs involved in this concert. 

Instructor

Gail Ridenour and Yaniv Attar

As executive director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Gail Ridenour has helped to lead the growth of the organization, with innovative programs, rebranding, and increased development. With a goal of making music meaningful to audiences, Ridenour works to connect music to community. A graduate of Cleveland Institute of Music and national board-certified teacher, Ridenour combines her passions of music and engaging with the community to reach new audiences. Her background includes over a decade of teaching elementary music where she partnered with community and arts organizations to enhance learning and bring a love of music to the next generation.

Yaniv Attar is the music director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and Artistic Partner with Northwest Sinfonietta.

Drawn to orchestral conducting from an early age, Attar has studied with Israel Edelson in Jerusalem, Virginia Allen at the Juilliard School in New York and Neil Thomson at the Royal College of Music in London, where he was also the associate conductor and co-founder of the Tempus Chamber Orchestra. In 2008, he  earned his Doctor of Music degree from McGill University where he studied under the tutelage of Alexis Hauser. Attar also studied with several conductors including Kurt Masur, Leonard Slatkin, János Fürst, and others.

Attar has worked with several orchestras throughout the United States and Europe including Duna Szimfonikus (Budapest), Haifa Symphony, Hamburg Symphony, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra i Pomeriggi Musicali (Milan), Manhattan School of Music Orchestra, Mihail Jora Philharmonic (Romania), National Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Sinfonietta, Russe Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Salzburg Chamber Soloists, and Virginia Symphony, among many others.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 10 a.m. - noon

Tuesday April 29,
Tuesday May 6,
Tuesday May 13

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Over the last few decades, increased knowledge in geology, particularly in paleo-environments, has refined our understanding of earth’s climate history, indicating that there were multiple alternations between icehouse-to-greenhouse conditions. Each change from greenhouse to icehouse implies planet-wide cooling: the opposite of modern human experience. How did these changes happen? Could they repeat today, and thereby halt our current global-warming challenges? Could humans replicate the forces leading to cooling?

During the Late Paleozoic Era, from a Devonian Period greenhouse to a Pennsylvanian Period icehouse, earth cooled by as much as 15°F. In this course, we focus on this cooling episode, trying to understand the biologic, atmospheric, and lithospheric factors that caused cooling. We imagine ourselves in the Pennsylvanian icehouse, observe its biota and landscapes, then cringe while greenhouse conditions return.

Ironically, the coal measures deposited during the Pennsylvanian icehouse became the same coal deposits that began to fuel greenhouse warming beginning in the Industrial Revolution. This course can best be described as a chapter of historical geology, including elements of paleontology, stratigraphy, tectonics, and paleo-geography. We touch on chemistry and atmospheric science formulae to improve understanding.  

Some experts have suggested that technologies such as cloud seeding, aerosol saturation, and free-air carbon sequestration could undo our present global greenhouse warming. The natural forces that cooled earth in the Late Paleozoic Era were much more powerful than any of these. Spoiler alert: the Pennsylvanian Icehouse forces are difficult for humans to replicate. Impossible, actually.

Instructor

Jim Hoppie

Jim Hoppie received a MS in geology from the University of Kansas. He spent more
than 33 years as an oil-exploration geophysicist employed by a large, multinational
corporation, where he also mentored colleagues. This is Jim's third geoscience course for ALL. Upon retirement and relocation to Bellingham, he and his wife have become avid hikers in the North Cascades.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday April 29,
Tuesday May 6,
Tuesday May 13

$72 for members, $96 for non-members

Description

Where is the closest carrier? is the first question a president asks when there is an international crisis. From offering humanitarian aid to the deployment of the most powerful weapon delivery systems in the world, the modern aircraft carrier has become a strategic tool for international diplomacy and modern warfare.

In this course, we learn about an aircraft carrier made of ice, bats used as bombers, and many other little-known aircraft carrier trivia and facts.

We concentrate on the evolution of aircraft carriers from 1806, when it all began (97 years before the Wright Brothers' flight) to the present day. How the modern carrier has developed from tethered balloons to launching a 20-ton jet from 0-150 mph in 2-3 seconds and recovering a 20-ton jet at the same time. Today’s mighty aircraft carrier is a floating village of 5,000 or more residents with an airport on its roof. We explore life on board and how the flightdeck becomes a precision ballet of colored jerseys.

We delve into most aspects of the aircraft carrier, ranging from:

• Local ties and relationships the aircraft carrier has with the Puget Sound
• Living with dozens of strangers in your bedroom
• What happens when things “go bad” and lessons learned
• Shipboard operations from the engine room to the flight deck
• Defense systems, emergency drills, and damage control
• Retirement and disposal of an aging aircraft carrier

Instructor

Michael Hoernig

AFCM (AW) Michael Hoernig retired from the US Navy after 30 years of service and now serves as a Zoom and PowerPoint coach for ALL. He has served aboard numerous US naval aircraft carriers and squadrons around the globe and in support of the Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm military actions. He has taught generations of our service men and women in a multitude of occupations, jobs, and positions. Not only has he taught classes for the Navy; he has also taught many classes for the Department of Veterans Affairs and United Way. 

During his career he has held positions as a Jet Engine Mechanic, Final Flightdeck Aircraft Inspector, Flightline Supervisor, Powerplants Supervisor, President of the Chief’s Association for Naval Air Station Whidbey and Naval Air Station Norfolk, Quality Assurance Supervisor, Instructor for the Aviation Warfare Specialist Program, and the seven-state Pacific Northwest Regional Command Master Chief. His second career was a Senior Compensation Authorizer for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Registration

This class is offered both online and in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Wednesday April 30,
Wednesday May 7,
Wednesday May 14,
Wednesday May 21

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

This introductory course gives you the ability to discover the fun process of coloring with water and uncover a new approach to creating a well-designed composition.

We take a look at some of the most famous watercolor artists throughout history and explore their techniques. This journey through understanding how to experiment with water and color brings out your creativity!

Come enjoy the process. Learn color combinations, tips, and techniques to create your own individually inspired watercolor originals. Have fun painting in both realistic and abstract styles.

Supplies are provided for the first session with a $3 initial material fee paid to the instructor. You have the option to use your own materials for the remaining sessions.

This course is limited to 20 students.

Instructor

Trisha Dawn Coggins

Trisha Dawn Coggins is an art educator, designer, sculptress, and photographer with a BFA from West Chester University, Art Teaching Certification from the Moore College of Art and Design, and a master’s equivalency in fine arts from McDaniel College. She has designed, developed, and instructed classes throughout Whatcom County.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Thursday May 1,
Thursday May 8,
Thursday May 15,
Thursday May 22

$96 for members, $128 for non-members

Description

Explanation and discussion of more fascinating themes in philosophy—another philosophy buffet! Topics include aesthetics, philosophy of sports and fitness, philosophy of happiness, and philosophy of humor. What is art and what is good art? Why do so many people love sports? What makes people happy and is it the same for everyone? And finally, what is humor and what makes anything funny? David addresses these questions and more. Themes in Philosophy I, II, and III are not prerequisites.

We welcome back David as he joins us via Zoom from Seattle.

Instructor

David E. Smith

Dr. David E. Smith grew up in the world of fundamentalist Christianity. As an adult, he
gradually moved away from that perspective and became a religious progressive/skeptic. After earning an MA in philosophy of religion and serving as an urban law enforcement officer, he received a second MA and a PhD in religious studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. David currently teaches for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington and offers courses in religion and philosophy at many different venues through beliefs and ethics seminars.

He has published in these areas as well. His mission is to empower people to think for
themselves about things that matter.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday May 2

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Seattle’s historic park and boulevard system is one of the most complete Olmsted-designed park systems in the country. In 1903, thanks to the Klondike Gold Rush’s influx of money and people, Seattle hired the Olmsted firm of landscape architects of Brookline, Massachusetts, to design its park and boulevard system. This firm was the leading urban design firm in the country at the time. John Charles Olmsted, nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, created a legacy for Seattle from 1903 until the firm’s last project, the Washington Park Arboretum, in 1938. This legacy is still intact today.

This presentation covers the history of Seattle from 1897 to the present, through the lens of its parks and boulevards. We discuss the design principles of the Olmsted’s firm, and their philosophy that open space should be for all people, not just the wealthy.

(NOTE: This stand-alone course complements a separate planned excursion to visit historic Seattle parks such as Green Lake, Washington Park Arboretum, Seward Park, Jefferson Park, and Volunteer Park, as well as the Olmsted-designed iconic University of Washington campus, and Ravenna and Lake Washington Boulevards. These are Seattle’s most historic and beautiful landscapes.)

Sue joins us via Zoom from Seattle.

Instructor

Sue Nicol

Sue Nicol, retired horticulturist and consulting arborist, worked 18 years for the Seattle Parks Department, 17 as head horticulturist for the Woodland Park Zoo. She has been a board member of the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks since 2004, leading walking tours of Seattle’s Olmsted parks.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Zoom, 10 a.m. - noon

Friday May 9

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

Literary translations are often taken for granted by readers, who marvel to realize, as they read, that the elegant prose text they are enjoying in their own language is not, in fact, the original version. For translators, literary translations are works of art in their own right. This instructor uses her first-hand experience as a translator to explore the seldom-considered obstacles that translators face in transferring both the linguistic and cultural content from one language to another.

This single-session lecture features easy-to-understand Italian examples, explained in English. Grasping the complexities and artistic choices involved in this esoteric art form provides students with a greater appreciation for the skills and literary discernment that translation involves.

Irena’s presentation is based on the "Note on the Translation" to the first English translation of Gianna Manzini’s Sulla soglia (Threshold) by Laura E. Ruberto and Irena Stanic Rasin, examples of poetry translations from Le Ton beau de Marot: In Praise of the Music of Language by Douglas Hofstadter, and excerpts of various translations of a passage from Dante's Inferno.

Irena joins us via Zoom from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Instructor

Irena Stanic Rasin

Irena Stanic Rasin is an author, translator, and language and literature instructor. Irena holds an MA in English and Italian language and literature from the University of Zagreb in Croatia as well as an MA in Italian from San Francisco State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate studying Croatian philology in the intercultural context at the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Registration

This class is offered in-person

Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 1 - 3 p.m.

Thursday June 5

$24 for members, $32 for non-members

Description

How did Beethoven and Mahler become the titans of their time? Each was a rockstar and revolutionized music. Born almost 100 years apart, their music is often compared and contrasted. Debates occur over who was the better composer and why. During this session, we look at these two composers and compare their works. This includes Beethoven’s grandiose Triple Concerto which includes three soloists and Mahler’s First Symphony, also known as The Titan. Then you be the judge.

This music is played by the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Participants are welcome to attend the dress rehearsal on June 7. Besides the orchestra there are three soloists involved in this concert.

Instructor

Gail Ridenour and Yaniv Attar

As executive director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Gail Ridenour has helped to lead the growth of the organization, with innovative programs, rebranding, and increased development. With a goal of making music meaningful to audiences, Ridenour works to connect music to community. A graduate of Cleveland Institute of Music and national board-certified teacher, Ridenour combines her passions of music and engaging with the community to reach new audiences. Her background includes over a decade of teaching elementary music where she partnered with community and arts organizations to enhance learning and bring a love of music to the next generation.

Yaniv Attar is the music director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and Artistic Partner with Northwest Sinfonietta.

Drawn to orchestral conducting from an early age, Attar has studied with Israel Edelson in Jerusalem, Virginia Allen at the Juilliard School in New York and Neil Thomson at the Royal College of Music in London, where he was also the associate conductor and co-founder of the Tempus Chamber Orchestra. In 2008, he  earned his Doctor of Music degree from McGill University where he studied under the tutelage of Alexis Hauser. Attar also studied with several conductors including Kurt Masur, Leonard Slatkin, János Fürst, and others.

Attar has worked with several orchestras throughout the United States and Europe including Duna Szimfonikus (Budapest), Haifa Symphony, Hamburg Symphony, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra i Pomeriggi Musicali (Milan), Manhattan School of Music Orchestra, Mihail Jora Philharmonic (Romania), National Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Sinfonietta, Russe Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Salzburg Chamber Soloists, and Virginia Symphony, among many others.

Registration

This class is offered in-person